“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”              – Colossians 3:12

On the evening of June 12, 2018, authorities discovered 54 illegal immigrants in a tractor trailer in San Antonio. The people had been smuggled into the country illegally. The truck had air conditioning and water, but there was no food for the people. Five of them were injured.

What is your immediate, gut-level reaction to that story?

A left-leaning liberal might use the story to make a case for open borders. Is it morally defensible for foreigners to have fewer human rights than people who happen to be born in the right place at the right time? Freedom of movement is a basic human freedom. Thus, all people should be free to move about the earth, unrestrained by arbitrary borders. Besides, our country was founded by immigrants and our diversity makes us stronger.

A right-leaning conservative might use the story to make the case for building a wall between Mexico and the United States. Rather than follow the legal immigration process as others have done, these 54 individuals broke the law. They should be jailed, tried, convicted, and expelled from our country. We are a sovereign nation and our borders must be respected.

That brings us to Armando Colunga, a tow truck driver of Mexican descent. I don’t know how he leans politically or who he voted for in the last presidential election. But he watched the story on the news. He saw 54 detained individuals sitting on the ground behind a truck.

He also felt compelled to act. No, he didn’t rush to post a politically-charged rant on social media. He didn’t shake his head in frustration or anger, turn off the television, and go to bed.

Instead, Mr. Colunga, filled with compassion and concern, traveled across town to help. He purchased seven Little Caesar’s pizzas and received permission to cross the yellow crime scene tape. A fireman took the pizzas from him and distributed them to the undocumented immigrants.

The officers told him he didn’t have to do what he was doing.

“No, I didn’t have to, but they’re my people,” he said. “If they were black or African people or white people coming from London… I would have done the same thing. It’s not about race.”

I don’t know whether Mr. Colunga is a Christian, but he exhibited Christ-like behavior. The note from the margin reads: How can you spot true Christians? They’ll be clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

As the immigration debate rages on, we should never place political ideology over faith. While we can discuss immigration policy and what should be done with illegal immigrants, may our first instinct be to get suffering people something to eat and drink. After all, they’re all God’s people.

#FaithInTheMargins